So the scam is simple, your baggage allowance is not what you were told but much less. Now your baggage is way overweight. The price is $19.00/kg and the total for my family was over £1000.00. We were emigrating from UK to Brisbane Austrailia. We did not have that amount in cash and could only offer a Visa card. I was then asked if I could go to an ATM and pay cash. I could not withdraw that amount in one day from an ATM. The limit was £300.00 per card. I was asked how much I could withdraw. I said £300.00 each from my wifeís card and mine maximum. I was asked how much cash I had on me. I lied and said £80.00

The solution I was told was to withdraw the £600.00 and hand over £680.00 in an envelope under that table in MacDonalds Burgers saving us £560.00. I agreed and the Baggage was checked in. There was no other option and I was under stress. Being British I kept to my word. My wife video recorded me making the transaction after videoing me counting the money into the envelope and passing the envelope to the Malaysian Airlines Staffer sat at the table in McDonalds.

I recorded the conversation and took the money out in front of him and counted it out and handed it over. He was very uncomfortable with me doing that and scarpered away quickly cash in hand.

The Baggage was already checked through and I later wondered what could have happen if I did not hand the cash over.

On arrival in Austrailia I thought more about it and complained to Malaysian Airlines Head Office about having the money extorted from me. I later found out that the baggage was not overweight.

The result was that the videos and photos of the scammer were sent and they called to say the wanted me to join in a phone meeting with the employee. I agreed and they later called to say the criminal employee was dismissed. They offered thanks but no refund of the stolen money.

I did a little mathematical work in my head and if this happened to just ten people on each flight the scam would make around £50,000 thatís fifty thousand per day or conservatively over £12 to £18million pounds per year untaxed income. It would also require the consent of more than one individual.

I believe that this man was not acting alone but was part of company employee racketeering. Were the culprits dismissed or not I wondered. This was a bad experience for both of us.